In an interview with Viennese newspaper Kurier, he said when asked whether to
stick with F1: “The question is not so much about whether it makes
economic sense, but more to do with the sporting value, political influence
and the like.
“We have had it all but from our perspective there is a clear limit to what we
can accept.”
Mateschitz is hopeful of proving that Red Bull did not break the rules at the
season-opener in Melbourne and that the FIA-supplied fuel-flow sensor was at
fault.
“The fact is that the federation’s sensor has given inaccurate values since
the beginning of the winter tests. We can prove that we were within the
limits,” Mateschitz said.
Aside from owning two teams in F1, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, Mateschitz,
who is estimated to be worth £5.6billion by Forbes, making him the world’s
134th richest man, has other sporting interests including the Red Bull
Salzburg and New York Red Bulls football teams.
He is, like many in F1, unhappy with the new rule changes and the new engines
which are far more quieter than last year’s V8s.
“You have to make F1 like it used to be – the top discipline of motorsports,”
Mateschiz said.
“F1 is not there to set new records in fuel consumption, nor to make it
possible to have a whispered conversation during a race.
“It is absurd to race a lap seconds slower than last year. GP2 partially
provides more racing and fighting and almost equal lap times as F1 with a
small fraction of the budget.”